Admirals Return to Scope Looking to Build on Longest Winning Streak in Team History

NORFOLK, Va. – The Norfolk Admirals bring the longest winning streak in team history back to Virginia this week with games at Norfolk Scope Arena against the Hershey Bears on Wednesday and the Springfield Falcons on Friday and Saturday.

The Admirals now return to Scope for a three-game homestand. The Admirals square off against the Hershey Bears for the final time this season tomorrow night at 7:15 p.m. Norfolk then plays the Springfield Falcons for the final two times this season on Friday (7:30 p.m.) and Saturday (7:15 p.m.) nights at Scope. Wednesday's game is another Admirals Value Night with Family Fun Packs and Student Rush Night tickets available. The final set of Admirals trading cards will be given out on Friday night, while Saturday's game is the final post-game skate of 2011-12. Please see below for complete details.

STANDINGS UPDATEThe Admirals (36-18-1-2, 75 points, 57 games) are tied with the Oklahoma City Barons for the most standings points in the American Hockey League and occupy the #1 spot in both the East Division and Eastern Conference. Norfolk holds a two-point edge in the Eastern Conference standings over the St. John's IceCaps (33-13-5-2, 73 points, 53 games), although the IceCaps have played four fewer games than the Admirals. Norfolk has opened a four-point lead over the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (32-18-2-5, 71 points, 57 games) in the East Division. The Hershey Bears (29-18-4-5, 67 points, 56 games) trail the Admirals by eight points with one game in hand. Rounding out the East Division are the Syracuse Crunch (22-25-4-4, 52 points, 55 games) and Binghamton Senators (21-30-2-2, 46 points, 55 games).

Eight teams in each conference shall qualify for the 2012 Calder Cup Playoffs. Following the conclusion of each team's 76-game regular season, the three division winners in each conference will be seeded first through third (in order of regular-season points) and the next five best teams (in order of regular-season points) will be seeded fourth through eighth. Click here for complete AHL standings.

Norfolk's current nine-game winning streak is the longest winning streak in the AHL this season and matches the longest winning streak in the AHL over the last two seasons (Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, nine-game winning streak from October 9 – November 5, 2010).

Wednesday's game against Hershey will end a stretch of seven consecutive games against East Division opponents for the Admirals. Following that contest, only five of Norfolk's final 18 games will come against East Division opposition – two games against Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and three games against Binghamton.

During Norfolk's current nine-game winning streak, 19 of 21 skaters have recorded at least one point and 20 of 21 skaters have even or better plus/minus rating.

Dustin Tokarski is riding a personal six-game winning streak dating back to February 10 against Adirondack, with a 6-0-0 record, two shutouts, a 1.95 goals-against average and a .928 save percentage.

The AHL Admirals' franchise record for a personal winning streak by a goaltender is seven games, set by Michael Leighton from January 30 – February 18, 2004.

Tokarski has now posted a 73-56-7 record in 139 career games with the Admirals from 2009-10 to the present. He is two wins away from tying Leighton for the most wins in Admirals history. Leighton posted a 75-52-17 record in 147 career games with Norfolk from 2001-02 to 2004-05.

Jaroslav Janus has posted a 3-0-0 record, 1.44 goals-against average and .928 save percentage during the winning streak.

With five wins at the Mohegan Sun Arena this season, Norfolk notched the first perfect record in an opponent's building during a season series of five or more games in AHL Admirals history. It also marked just the third time in AHL Admirals history that Norfolk had swept an opponent on the road in four or more games (4-0-0-0 in Louisville in 2000-01 and 4-0-0-0 in Albany in 2010-11).

Brandon Segal, who was acquired by the Lightning last week, posted three goals and four points in three games with the Admirals over the weekend. He was recalled by Tampa Bay yesterday.

With the flu bug affecting the Lightning locker room prior to tonight's game against Montreal, Tampa Bay recalled Mike Angelidis, Pierre-Cedric Labrie, Evan Oberg and Trevor Smith from the Admirals. In a related transaction, the Lightning reassigned forward Alex Hutchings to Norfolk from the ECHL's Florida Everblades. Following tonight's game against Montreal, the Lightning do not play again until a Friday contest against the New York Rangers at the Tampa Bay Times Forum.

ADMIRALS VALUE NIGHTS The Admirals and Hershey Bears square off tomorrow night with puck drop at 7:15 p.m. in another Admirals Value Night including Family Fun Packs and Student Rush Night tickets.

Family Fun Packs include four discounted Red Level Tickets for just $48 plus four free hot dogs, four free popcorns and four free sodas. Fans get all of that for just $48 – that’s a savings of $37!

Student Rush Nights provide $8 White Level Tickets (normally $12) for students with a valid current high school or college ID. In addition, when you buy a Student Rush Night Ticket, you get a buy-one, get-one free offer for the next Student Rush Night.

Family Fun Packs are available at the Scope Box Office, all Ticketmaster Outlets, charge-by-phone at 1-800-745-3000 or online at Ticketmaster.com. Student Rush Night Tickets are available ONLY at the Scope Box Office after 2:00 p.m. on the day of the game.

TRADING CARD GIVEAWAY FRIDAY The first 2,000 fans through the gates on Friday, March 2, will receive the final set of 2011-12 Admirals trading cards.

POST-GAME SKATE SATURDAYOn Saturday, March 3, the Admirals will hold their fifth post-game skate of the season where fans can skate at Scope with their favorite Admirals following the game. A limited number of skates will be available or fans may bring their own skates.

TICKETSIndividual tickets for all regular season games start at just $12. Tickets are available now at the Scope Box Office, all Ticketmaster Outlets, charge-by-phone at 1-800-745-3000 and online at ticketmaster.com.

Admirals 10-Packs for the 2011-12 season remain available for as little as $110. You may also reserve your 2012-13 season tickets with a deposit of as little as $100 per seat today. Stop by the Admirals’ Administrative Offices at Scope, call (757) 640-1212 weekdays from 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. or visit norfolkadmirals.com anytime!

ON THE RADIO/INTERNETAll regular season games will air live on "The Game" 102.1-FM, 1490-AM and online at 1021TheGame.com. AHL Live will also carry online video of every Admirals game on a pay-per-view or season pass basis. Fans can log in to watch, listen or get more information about AHL Live’s online audio and video features at ahllive.com.